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Ranieri’s answer? Well according to Corriere dello Sport in Italy it was a polite, “No thanks”, but we hope the man now in charge of French club Nantes was a little bit blunter than that.

That’s assuming, of course, the call we ever made. The Leicester Mercury are now suggesting the Foxes were never in contact with Ranieri about a return to the King Power Stadium.

Former England manager Sam Allardyce. (Image: Steve Bardens)

And so you’d assume that’s the end of it… but with Leicester eventually opting to appoint sacked Southampton boss Claude Puel as Shakespeare's replacement, perhaps their desperation to find a viable candidate for the job did make them consider Ranieri after all. This is football, after all.

We'll see Puel in action at the bet365 Stadium on Saturday (12.30pm) when Stoke City host the resurgent Foxes.

Elsewhere, Sam Allardyce is ready to return to football at Everton, but only if the Toffees make it worth his while.